Kidnapped reporter Daniel Pearl’s pregnant wife told his captors yesterday she’s willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for love – and swap her life for her husband’s freedom.

In her most impassioned plea yet, Mariane Pearl begged the hostage-takers who threatened to murder the Wall Street Journal bureau chief to break their silence and call her.

“Don’t harm an innocent man, because you’re just going to create more misery. Using Daniel as a symbol – and all of this – is completely wrong,” the six-months-pregnant woman said on BBC.

“If anyone’s going to give his life to save him, it’s me,” she added. “Please make contact with me – I’m ready.”

Pearl, 38, was abducted in Karachi on Jan. 23, apparently after being lured into a trap through a complex series of e-mails while trying to arrange an interview with a militant sheik.

His kidnappers have sent news outlets several e-mails with photos, including a picture of Pearl with a gun held to his head.

The last bona fide e-mail was received Wednesday, with a threat to kill him in 24 hours unless their demands – including the return of Pakistani prisoners being detained at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay – were met.

Since then, there have been several hoax e-mails claiming Pearl was killed – including two from a 16-year-old boy – but the kidnappers have fallen silent.

Journal managing editor Paul Steiger issued an open letter to the group, which calls itself the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignity, calling for a direct dialogue.

He asked them to use the e-mail account or private telephone numbers of two of Pearl’s closest friends.

“This line of communication would show me that Danny is with you and would allow us one-to-one contact,” Steiger wrote. “We are eager to hear from you soon.”

A frenzied effort to find Pearl alive is under way in Karachi, with the FBI now joining the probe.